Symptoms or signs of pneumonia include:
• Fatigue and low energy levels
• Vomiting and nausea, especially in small children
• Confusion
• Sweating, fever and shaking chills
• Loss of appetite
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid breathing with shallow breaths
• A cough, which might produce bloody, yellow or greenish mucus
• A stabbing pain in the chest that worsens when you cough or breathe deeply

Pneumonia is generally caused due to germs including viruses, bacteria, fungi and bacteria-like organisms. Bacterial pneumonia is the most common type of pneumonia. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is also common in some people.

Some people feel better within a week while some people feel better after a month or more. Recovery also depends on the type of pneumonia. Most people continue to feel exhausted for at least a month. Talk to your doctor when you can get back to your routine. Doctors might suggest specific follow-up tests like a chest X-ray if your symptoms do not improve or reoccur.

Most healthy individuals recover from pneumonia in about 1 to 3 weeks. However, it can be life-threatening in some cases.

Call your doctor if you have a cough that does not go away. You should also call your doctor if you experience breathing difficulties, chest pain, shaking chills, a fever that stays at 102°F or higher.